How Much Does It Cost To Start An E-Commerce Store?

If you’re new to the world of online business and in particular, online shops, you might be wondering how much does it cost to start an e-commerce store? Hello from the land of earthquake-ville. Land that seems to be quite unstable lately. First off, thanks for the social media loves, dms, and emails checking on us here in Puerto Rico. All is good where we live. We have power, water, and our home's foundation is standing firm.

Nothing like a good rumble from mother nature to help start preparing for the next adventure. Jared and Makayla are prepping like the zombie apocalypse is around the corner.

AND how grateful I am for those entrepreneurs who decided to sell us products to help us prepare for whatever is in our path!

This gratitude leads me into encouraging you to get your shop up and running so you can serve others too!!!

The world needs YOU to sell them something to improve their life!

Now, I understand it may not be a product to save lives during an earthquake. What if it's a product that saves a mom’s sanity because she forgot to buy a present for her kids' friend's birthday party that starts in 2 minutes!?!

YOU could have been the one that she’s praising now because you sold her a birthday product to stock up on for just this situation?

It may be some clothes that you just put up in your store that makes a new mom feel refreshed because she hasn’t been able to sleep in a week because her baby has been sick. YOU had just the thing that made her feel alive, and you’ve now become the rock star in her life.

Setting up a shop is all about serving, and when you do that, YOU GET REWARDED in the form of money. Pretty cool how that works, right?

Now, is the moment a thought may creep into that little brain of yours…thinking it’s HARD and EXPENSIVE.

AND IT JUST MAY leave your brain shaking….Don’t make me send Jared and Makayla in on your thoughts adorned in zombie gear;).

You’ve probably heard that it’s super easy and cheap to start an online shop, but how much does it really cost to start an e-commerce store?

Before we get into that, let me back up and tell you why we are even talking about this today. Recently, I got a message from one of my students about her – not so great – experience of setting up and running her first booth at a local event.

When she sent me this message I think her jaw probably hit the floor when she read my response. As I read the message I thought back to all my experiences getting started and the challenges I had to overcome. Although it wasn’t my frame of mind at the time, I’m so dang happy I experienced those obstacles. My reply of “this is awesome” was met with the sound of crickets from her side.

I went on to tell her that things like this are what help us move faster in our businesses. As you learn what works and what doesn’t you can pivot and adjust but if you never experience those things you can never adjust.

That’s why starting an online business and starting small can be such an amazing learning experience. Imagine if you had to go to college to learn what she learned in that one day. She could probably make a long list of business principles that she got first-hand knowledge on in just one day without all the debt that comes with getting a business degree from college.

So, that leads me back to my question – is it actually easy and how much does it really cost to start and e-commerce store?

First things first – is it easy to start an online store? Honestly, I try never to use the word “easy” in business-building and if I do, let me know. Building something that you are proud of takes time and effort, especially in the beginning.

I like to break it down like this… If it is easy now, it's going to be hard in the future. And if it's hard now, it's going to be easy in the future.

So, although you might be pulling your hair out now trying to figure out your online store, it will get easier – trust me.

Now that you know it might not be “easy” right out of the gate, let’s discuss the cost to start an e-commerce store. There seem to be two different perceptions of what it takes to really get your first online store launched. One camp thinks it’s going to be basically free and the other camp thinks they’re going to have to sell their home to cover the costs.

Spoiler alert: You aren’t going to have to sell your house but it’s also not free to get started.

So what are those costs?

First, let’s define the scope. If you're going to launch a competitor to Amazon, the world’s largest eCommerce marketplace, it's going to cost you a lot, right? But if you’re a stay-at-home mom that just wants to get her online store launched, then you can get started with not much more than dryer change.

Let's explore the cost to start an e-commerce store:

#1 You need your business license

This isn’t just an online business expense, this is an everybody in business expense. So, please don’t skip this one. Do some research and determine what’s best for you. We have always done LLC’s but you’ll need to determine that is going to work best for you.

#2 You need something to sell!

Look at things you already have laying around the house. Remember my story of how I turned some blocks of wood into $9,000? Yea, that really happened. Now, you don’t want to be selling blocks of wood forever but it will allow you to make some money to fund your next step.

#3 Invest your money into a SMALL amount of inventory

You need to do some testing on what products will work and what products won’t work. Because of this, you need to start small. Don’t buy a ton of inventory in the beginning.

#4 You need a place to sell!

It’s time to get your online “booth” set up so that you can collect money 24/7, not just on weekends at your local event. I personally use Shopify and this is the eCommerce platform that I recommend. You don’t need a custom site or anything like that – trust me.

#5 Let’s ship some stuff out!

So, you’ve got your online store setup, now it’s time to pack some stuff up and ship it out. That packaging isn’t free though, you’ll need to purchase it. You can order these on Amazon with 2-day shipping for as little as $10-20.

#6 Getting custom branded packaging

You probably want nice and pretty branded packaging and this can get expensive if you tried to go all-out in the beginning. When I first started I was hand-stamping tags. Yea, for each sale I made. Now, there are amazing options like VistaPrint that will make your life easy. Wait until they are running a special on business cards and you can get custom cards printed for your business that has all your information on the front and a coupon code on the back to incentivize your customer to come back and purchase again. Note: If you are doing this on a site like Amazon, make sure you follow their rules because they frown upon doing this.

#7 Labels, labels, and more labels

Without a shipping label, your amazing product will never make it’s way to that new customer. In the beginning, you could do this at a very low cost by handwriting your address labels or you could opt-in for a more expensive option, which is the traditional home printer. Once you get some volume though, you’ll want to upgrade to a thermal printer.

Those are the main expenses you’ll incur getting your store launched and selling product.

If you’re reading this and dreading the thought of shipping the products on your own, then you should check out episode 9 Is shipping stopping you?, where I go into detail on how you can get someone to do all this for you.

So to summarize, you can go into debt, spending thousands of dollars in inventory, having custom-built e-commerce websites, hire a team to handle all your customer service and all your shipping and all that stuff but you don’t have to.

If you are short on cash, you still get started, you’ll just have to spend more of your own time but there isn’t anything preventing you from getting started. You either have time or money.

If you want to know how you can grow your own profitable online store, just like my girls did, then head over to 0-100k.com

If you want to hear all the details for this episode, click the play button at the top and dive right in!

Additional Resources…

Listener Love…

Inspirational

by Greenwichound from United Kingdom

Some of things that Alison discusses in her podcast are really simple. But sometimes you need it laid out in these terms for it to just go in. And go in it does. Meaning you leave each episode full of confidence and aspiration with a check list of to do’s or things to try out. She shares information bombs that others in her position would never share (fear of giving away their secret sauce) and every step of the way you feel like she’s championing your specific journey. She is golden and this show should be in the library of everyone thinking or currently doing Ecommerce. Keep it up Alison! X

Fantastic, just Fantastic

by 2shopornot from United States

I just went back and caught up on all the podcasts and can I just say I should’ve done this a long time ago! The content is so clear, Alison brings in guests that are so willing to share. Truly an amazing listen. If you haven’t joined Alisons group I strongly recommend that you not wait any longer! Your future is waiting!

Amazing Content for Entrepreneurs!

by galithoc from United States

Alison is very knowledgeable and presents information in a very easy way for newbies. My entire family listens to her every week. She has motivated my two daughters into starting their own business, they are 14 and 11!!!!. Thanks for this podcast, its amazing.

Very optimistic and useful!

by AJM.44 from United States

I find these podcasts useful, filled with good tips backed by her experience. She’s also very optimistic and makes me feel like I can do it! Which is why I want to get started! Ok Alison, this question is for you - I want to start selling online in an effort to fund my college education! Obviously I don’t have a lot of time, and more than that, I don’t know where to start lol! Do I create a Shopify store? Do I start selling on someone else’s site (and whose?!)? Do I do a ClickFunnel thing?!

Inspiring!

by InspiredLifeCrafts from United States

So many helpful tips and positivity. Love listening!

Great information!

by Stellar92677 from United States

I’m learning so much and I love your optimism. thank you!

Inspiring & Amazing

by DoohikeyDesigns from United States

Alison is the real deal! She’s real as she inspires you to reach your best life. She gives you glimpses into how she has made multi dollar million businesses. Alison was called to serve others to help others reach the dreams we have always wanted to achieve. She inspires to help us Rise Up to what God wants us to become!
It just keeps getting better and better!
Wow! Today’s episode in February is amazing! Literally I sell wholesale and know what it takes. But now I’m wanting to really create more retail sales and I have since being in your program!
Loved the episode that you did of Puerto Rico and why you moved. I loved how you testified of how God works in our lives and if we trust him we can do anything. Thanks for being a light and a mentor to me.

Thank You Alison!

by Savjack28 from United States

If you want to make real money and get out of the rat race of working for someone else, follow Alison J Prince. You will learn SO much!

I’m obsessed!

by Stormy Hinkle from United States

Alison is as smart as she is relatable. Every podcast episode is full of brilliant nuggets to help you along your entrepreneurial journey. With Alison on my team, I know I will find the courage to go for my big dreams!!

Beca Miller

by Beca Miller from United States

Alison is full of gold! I used to do all the work myself. The minute I took her advice and hired out, my sales started going up!

Life changing!

by Future CEO MR from United States

I bought your course last summer right in the middle of taking graduate courses to increase my salary lane as a teacher. No need to say that the increase in salary has not made any mayor changes. I always had the desire of doing an e-commerce business but did not know how to start. I still have not taken the time that I am supposed to dedicate to the course, however these podcasts had filled me with the courage I need to start doing it. Thank you Alison for your words of wisdom every Tuesday.

Thank You Alison!

by Savjack28 from United States

The best. If you’re serious about wanting to make real money online, you must listen to this podcast.

Awesome Podcast!!!

by Clarisse Gomez from United States

Alison, host of the Because I Can Life podcast, highlights all aspects of business, entrepreneurship and more in this can’t miss podcast! The host and expert guests offer insightful advice and information that is helpful to anyone that listens!

Inspiring & Amazing

by DoohikeyDesigns from United States

Alison is the real deal! She’s real as she inspires you to reach your best life. She gives you glimpses into how she has made multi dollar million businesses. Alison was called to serve others to help others reach the dreams we have always wanted to achieve. She inspires to help us Rise Up to what God wants us to become!
It just keeps getting better and better!
Wow! Today’s episode in February is amazing! Literally I sell wholesale and know what it takes. But now I’m wanting to really create more retail sales and I have since being in your program!

Thank you!

by gigisomar from United States

Allison, I really have so enjoyed your podcasts. Thank you for putting out all of this wonderful information.

Inspirational

by Missladyamy from United States

Alison.. love having your podcast available to help me keep going. I can listen to it while I do my makeup in the morning and get ready. You inspire my day and give me hope. Thank you. I am already in e commerce but want to take a different route in this area and excited for the new ideas you provide. - Renee @beprosperity

Wow

by M.Murawska from United States

I have been Alison’s student for almost 2 years. I am still learning!!! This pot cast was a piece of information that I was missing! Let’s make $$$$ with influencers! Thank You Alison❤️

Gold

by Brandeerose from United States

I’ve been a Alison fan for over a year! She gives so much great content and she over delivers ‘all the time’! I’ve been following her system and am a happy customer. Her 100k system is THE bomb! I’ve tried so many other courses and she’s the real dill. Lol. Thank you so much Alison for all you do. You’re truly a blessing. Instagram handle @threadsofarmor ❤️

Episode 15

by -akoboe from United States

Loved this episode and how broken down and step by step the details were. Question for you: How do you decide on a business name and shop for an e-commerce store if you don’t have a niche? Or do you only recommend opening a store for those who do? In the beginning, you sold a lot of random things that didn’t relate to each other, so did you use third party selling websites to sell or did you start your own store and how do you do that without a specific product or niche?

Excellent

by B-Rex1 from United States

Alison continues to offer great teaching moments with love and enthusiasm!!

Yes, BECAUSE WE CAN!

by twimoonlight from United States

I love your passion and love for this business. I love that you have worked so hard to give us such an awesome mentor, business Opportunity guidance, tools, and a Facebook group that we all can draw from and count on. Thank You!!!

I loved learning from Alison & Dave and can’t wait to check out the show notes! Sara & I started Stylingsamy.com thanks to Alison’s Because I Can Clan, we are still in the beginning, but I sense big things to come and wouldn’t be where we are right now without you Alison!! XOXO!

Episode 10 - LOVED IT!!!

by drewtheclue from United States

I have liked and learned a bunch from all of Alison’s episodes as well as from her YouTube channel and her courses. I really really enjoyed Episode 10 though - so many great quotables & gold nuggets were shared...I saved it and will take notes when I listen again!!!

Alison knows E-Commerce

by Lwisdom69 from United States

Seriously I wasn’t into podcast, Meh- But once I heard this “Because I can Life” with Alison J Prince, she’s Amazing in every way!!! She shows you what she is doing & walks you through her process. She is so transparent in every way. She shows us how to kick Fear in the teeth! She’s my go to momma bear!!
I love this podcast-
Your Truly,
Lillian Wisdom

Alison knows her stuff! This works!

by c_beckstrand from United States

I have followed Alison’s journey for the past few years and never met anyone who is so willing to share what she knows to help others. There are so many golden nuggets from these podcasts that you can take and apply to your own business. She is the real deal!! Following her strategy, I now have a business of my own that is THRIVING because of the plan that she has laid out. She is changing lives!! Listen to this podcast- you won’t regret it!

Alison Is The Real Deal

by awishandakiss from United States

Have you ever watched fresh water pour out of a spring? That is what Alison is like. She shares and teaches so much good, over flowing with the very best! Love this podcast! Thank you Alison for wanting and giving the steps to success, for those that you teach. -Melinda L.

Truly An Inspiration!

by Alohalovelife from United States

Alison, I am LOVING your podcast!!! You are crushing it! You are such an inspiration! Thank you for stepping out there to share your story! You have helped me transform my mindset and my life! xoxo Michon

Awesome!

by SACP12 from United States

Love listening to Alison. She is inspiring and gets it. It’s making me move forward and giving confidence in doing so. Kick fear in the teeth.

Thank you!

by Gkeith88 from United States

Loving it all. Thank you for coming out from behind the scenes and sharing your real life. We all benefit from your knowledge and the joy you bring.

Alison knows what she is talking about

by J0di8 from United States

Alison gives such awesome advice on starting and growing a business even kids can do it! That's awesome!

Right to my soul.

by LiviaLight from United States

Alison is genuine, sincere, and has a passion and a fire that gets right to my heart. She has a great desire to help others and shares important content. Her energy and light can help you see possibilities for yourself that you never imagined. We are all humans on this journey of growth. Invite Alison to be part of your journey and you won’t regret it.

Don’t miss out!

by P. Cram from United States

This Is your chance to learn from one of the masters of e-commerce. Alison’s style of savvy business advice in an easy to understand and implement format will take your business to the next level! If you’ve ever thought about starting your own online business the first step is Alison’s program. Trust me, this is the road map to success you’ve been looking for!

Alison Prince is great!

by Shanda2005 from United States

Alison Prince gives great advice about how to run an online business. This is a great podcast. A must listen for entrepreneurs!

An entrepreneur who GETS IT!!!

by AshleyJohnston from United States

This girl just gets it. She understands doubt, she has lived hard days, she knows what it’s like to start from zero.....and then climb out of that crap. I think what I appreciate the most, is that she genuinely enjoys helping others find success. Truly a gift.

Motivating and Inspiring

by Lisa fruit pop princess from United States

Alison is great at motivating and inspiring! She has so much great info that she shares! You definitely need to listen to this if you've ever thought of becoming an entrepreneur!

Pushing forward with Alison

by Gyetvaimom from United States

What a great podcast with such great information on how to build my very own e-commerce business! Alison is relatable, knowledgeable, and very inspiring. I enjoy these episodes while driving my kids to their activities, while making dinner, or while getting ready. Listening to ALISON motivates me to push forward in my new business.

A dreamer/doers podcast heaven!

by ReesieO from United States

Alison is so upbeat, so knowledgeable, and so passionate about what she does! This podcast shows all of that! If you don’t know where to start - START HERE! The information is GOLD! You’re in the right place and this girl will give you wings! Seriously, even if you’re just having a down day - Alison will lift you up and help you believe in your dreams again!

Great Stuff!

by AKP419 from United States

My husband and I are part of Alison’s Clan and we are so excited to have all this extra great info in podcast form!

A must for all entrepreneurs

by heidilynn82 from United States

Love Alison’s Enthusiasm and passion for sharing her knowledge about all things business! It’s a must listen.

Love Alison

by EricaWoodbury from United States

I absolutely loooooove Alison and her emery is so contagious! ❤️

Hopeful:)

by Polka. Lover from United States

So far I’m really excited about this podcast....and hoping it doesn’t all lead to what so many other podcasts I’ve listened to have, which is “I’ll tell you just enough to get you excited and start to believe you can do it, but to really start to change your life it’s time to pay for the membership/course and if you can’t afford it that’s just an excuse”. I’ve become a bit of a pessimist in the self-improvement journey while trying so hard to get started but not having much cash to do so. I’m that mom stuck living credit card payment to credit card payment which doesn’t exactly leave money to get started. I’m hoping this podcast is what I’ve been searching for to guide me on how to finally get something going that will bring hope and real change for my future. I love Allison and I have faith that she’s who can help me change my life!♥️

LOVE HER!!!

by IChooseYouCo from United States

Alison is AWESOME! She knows her stuff and is so generous in giving and teaching others. I am so glad I found her to help me along this journey of e commerce.

Fab!

by vbl<3 from United States

I’m new to podcasts, but wow...what a fabulous cast! I’m a fan and will be continuing to listen!

So much help and valuable information!!

by ealshfs from United States

We love Alison!! She gives such valuable information on how to run your online business. Through this podcast she will help you, inspire you, and encourage you. Through following her course my husband and I have sold over 15K so far in one of our businesses and are headed towards the 10k mark with our second business. Thank you Alison!!

LOVE the heart and deep dive!

by XefishX from United States

Thank you so much for the useful information and VALUE in these episodes- I’m totally hooked!

Love Alison Prince

by irsaguar from United States

Thank you for this amazing podcast. I cannot get enough of Alison and her amazing knowledge of E commerce, marketing and selling online she is awesome!!!

Because I can!

by shesgotdetermination from United States

Alison is a great mentor! She has a great amount of enthusiasm and determination towards her businesses. She really tries to motivate the clanners and get us excited about our businesses. I’ve learned a lot from the FB group! There’s so much information there. Thank you everyone for supporting each other!

So worth listening to!

by Orpheus Phunk from United States

Alison KNOWS what she’s talking about. She teaches from the knowledge of having taken the steps herself, to launch and scale profitable businesses. This podcast inspires you to stop making excuses and get to work building your own business. I love it!

Inspiration

by JLDiaz10x from United States

Alison is such an inspiration! She’s a real life woman who you can relate to! Love listening to her!!

You Need to Listen to This!

by Brookie Jane Boutique from United States

Listen to the Because I Can Life podcast if you want to be successful. Alison shares the “secrets” of making your business work. By the end of episode two, I knew the approach I needed to take in my new business to help my products sell themselves. Thanks Alison!

Listen! You’ll love it!

by llc732 from United States

Alison is amazing! She encourages you, helps you, and strengthens your resolve to do more, do better!

Thank you!!

by jesygirl from United States

Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge and excitement! It is contagious. I am glad you finally came out with a podcast.

Mind Blown!

by LuluAndHarley from United States

Wow! So amazing!!! I love these podcasts because as I listen to them I feel as if Alison is speaking directly to me. It’s like she’s in my brain and truly understands what I’m going through with my business- then helps me continue to the next step! Her voice is cheerful, yet calming and she is full of reassurance- I think she believes in me more than I believe in myself at this point!!!:)

Amazing information

by kdirk25 from United States

These podcasts have amazing information to help you with your business!! They are insightful, and a must for anyone who wants to sell anything including you Mr. Eskimo who I will sell ice to... because Allison tells you how.

Inspirational

by DoeRaeMegan from United States

Alison is the one who has inspired me to start something of my own. Her guidance makes magic happen! Only good things come from Alison!!!

Wonderful

by stacemt from United States

Allison and her business strategy have had my attention for awhile now. I am thrilled to be able to listen and apply her wisdom from these podcasts.

So inspiring!

by raeggett from United States

I love all that I have learned from Alison and her amazing way of leading and teaching so many of us to create our own businesses!

Inspirating and Motivating

by Jgb9 from United States

Alison is the real deal! She is all of us.... where we have all been and truly wants to help us succeed. She shares so much wisdom and knowledge and has blessed many lives!

Great Info

by Tam4040 from United States

I appreciate the information that Alison is providing as she teaches us how to overcome fear and self doubt while encouraging how we CAN have the lives we want!

Femmepreneur

by Suncreature from United States

Allison is so inspiring. She is so supportive and gives us so many tools to help us reach our goals. She is the ultimate #Femmepreneur. She is empowered and wants all of us to feel empowered as well. “Because I can” is such an empowering statement that can lead us to success. I feel so blessed to have found her course and podcast.

So inspirational and motivating!!

by jayveetally from United States

This was such a motivating podcast! The priceless information she spills about how to be successful selling online is interesting and exciting. I can’t wait to hear more!!

Keep the podcasts coming!

by SHefel87 from United States

Alison has such an enthusiastic outlook and so much knowledge to share regarding business ventures. Have thoroughly enjoyed the first few ‘Because I Can’ podcasts. I look forward to listening to her future episodes.

I can? Yes, I can!

by Too hard to review from United States

Allison does a great job of punching a hole in all of your excuses for why you can’t do this. She’s a down-to-earth cheerleader for everyone. Great podcast.

Obsessed!

by Hidequa from United States

Holy cow- Alison I can feel your energy through my phone as I listened to your podcasts today! I’ve just recently stumbled across your Instagram and even two weeks ago watched a webinar by you as well. I can not tell you how much I feel like you are talking to me, yet I feel myself hearing you, as if I am the one talking. I have felt for a long time that I have something bigger than me I need to do to help people but like the lady in your podcast with the epi-pen, I’m kinda closer to that side of things right now. BUT I feel like I am on my way and I hear your passion for helping people. I can’t wait to listen to more of your podcasts and see where this will take me in the future. Thank you for sharing your loving heart with others.

Get inspired!

by DistinctlyDawning from United States

Alison is so inspiring, knowledgeable and encouraging! She’s been there, done that and continues doing so which allows her to provide real time helps for your business. You can’t resist but to feel uplifted and ready to go after your dreams after listening to her!

Thank you

by clanner90 from United States

I appreciate your passion and for sharing

The Real Deal

by momof5forlife from United States

This girl right here is why I am still building my online business. Thank you so much Alison for the encouragement and great teaching tips! Love it!

Fairly new to podcasts

by simplyLudic from United States

I have listened to one other before and enjoyed it. I am looking forward to Allison’s as she has so much good stuff to share.
Thanks Allison for doing this.

Thanks

by DeVonya M from United States

Alison thanks for sharing you and your thoughts and ideas!! I have made changes in my life thanks to you!!!

Inspiring & Amazing

by DoohikeyDesigns from United States

Alison is the real deal! She’s real as she inspires you to reach your best life. She gives you glimpses into how she has made multi dollar million businesses. Alison was called to serve others to help others reach the dreams we have always wanted to achieve. She inspires to help us Rise Up to what God wants us to become!
It just keeps getting better and better!

Awesome!

by SACP12 from United States

She is such an awesome coach. It will open up doors you never thought you could go through!

Great information

by ACP2545 from United States

Alison is so inspiring and gives such great info

The Best Podcast!!

by Micah Hyde from United States

I have been starting up my own business and this podcast has given me so much motivation to finally get everything done!!! I started thinking up tagalongites.com about 2 years ago and my dream is finally a reality !! Thanks Allison for all the motivation!

Love it!

by Shanluvsry from United States

Love her story, love her driver, love her willingness to share! This lady ROCKS!

Because I can is the best podcast out there!

by GmaSheriE from United States

Alison and her team are inspiring and changing lives! Join the clan! Because you can!!

Love this!

by kcraven683 from United States

Alison you are awesome, way to go! And thank you for this!

You are amazing

by StazzyLynn from United States

You are an inspiration. Truly talented.

Positivity

by sophster78 from United States

If you want to feel good and get excited listen to Alison. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she is just always happy.

The best podcast!

by Bloodbath000 from United States

She is the most honest, intelligent business woman out there. Love listening to her!

Inspiring

by Snyder,A from United States

I love how down to earth and real Alison is. Motivating podcast!

So encouraging

by lovesstraberries4 from United States

Alison always has relevant content and always so encouraging.

Inspirational and Real!

by Greenski Beanski from United States

I love listening to Alison because she shares from her heart! You can hear the passion in her voice and how much she loves what she’s doing. I’m excited to be able to listen to her marketing wisdom so I can put it in place in my business. Thank you for being real! Thank you for putting yourself out there and kicking fear in the teeth so I can learn to do the same!

Treasure Trove of Expert Goodness

by linescrew from United States

If you're looking to learn about building a successful online business, following your passion, and drive from a real person who practices what she preaches, this is the place! Alison is passionate about others successes- you can hear it in her voice. Against her norm of staying out of the spotlight and working behind the scenes Alison pushed past her fears of putting her face out there to follow her inner drive to teach others how she has been uber successful in several online businesses. She is still active in maintaining several online businesses and has taught me (and thousands more) how to build our own businesses. She is unselfish and wants success for all (and teaches how to do it without going into debt!). She gives so much to help others build their own dreams. Alison is the first mentor that I have found that doesn't hold back in sharing each piece to the complicated puzzle of successful business practices from idea to distribution to customer care. She doesn't promise magical overnight success- but gives you the keys you need and reminds you that your success depends on your dedication and hard work. I can't wait to see what her future episodes bring. Thanks Alison, for overdelivering yet again.

She’s Changing Lives!

by TaraGlutting from United States

Alison gives all her time and energy toward teaching people like you and me how to start a business and make all your dreams come true! This podcast is inspiring!

The Real Deal

by CecOlpin from United States

Alison is down to earth and relatable yet also extremely knowledgeable and savvy in her approach to business. You will enjoy and come away feeling empowered after listening to her amazing wisdom!

Real deal!!!!

by AnnieBoz from United States

Alison is the real deal and super legit. She knows her stuff and has helped me reach my goals plus more on many occasions. She is sincere and truly wants to help others and loves to see them grow. She is very motivating and she continues to inspire me in my life and with my business goals.

Love love love Allison!!

by BreakingYarn from United States

I was so happy to see Allison put out a podcast! She’s a huge inspiration and I admire her and her business sense! Already loving all the episodes!

Alison is Thee Female Entrepreneur To Follow!

by JaimeCross77 from United States

She’s been around the block, built a family and multiple, multimillion dollar businesses - what’s not to love about this HERo! Alison speaks from her heart and years of proven results. Would not be without this podcast in my back pocket.

Info needs to be consistent

by joness59 from United States

I missed that you mentioned the link to your bundle at the beginning of the podcast. At the end you mentioned the site is becauseicanlife.com/bundle. This is an invalid URL. I spent time trying to figure out the link until I saw it posted in the notes of your podcast. My feedback is to make sure the info you provide is consistent. Other than that it was a real good podcast. Hope this was helpful.
Stephen Jones (your old Boise neighbor)

I LOVE MY MOM❤️❤️

by bridges!! from United States

WOOT WOOT!!!!!! Gooooooooooooo MOM YOUR THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She’s the coolest little buddy

by Emmaisbeast from United States

She’s really cool and everybody should and will
Love her and this was the most spectacular thing in the whole universe because she is an angel

5 starz

by camila_hernandez from United States

she is so awesome and i love this podcast so much!!!!

AMAZING!!!

by Dad in church from United States

Seriously love you!

Best Podcast!

by Thesimpsoncrew3 from United States

Alison is so encouraging and a wealth of information! Real, Genuine and Relatable! So thankful she took the leap as she has paved a way for us to do the same!!!

Stop whatever you are doing and subscribe

by 534426783 from United States

Seriously, if you are looking for a heart-centered coach who is going to break it down for you and hold your hand to the online marketplace, this is your leader. Follow her. Do what she says. Listen to everything she says. Take notes. Take action. Rinse and repeat. So happy this podcast has been born!!!

Wow! So powerful!

by BevSchweig from United States

I am loving Alison’s podcast! She is so down to earth and honest! You can hear the passion she has for helping others in her voice! She has over delivered once again. Can’t wait to hear more!

Inspired!

by Jen 850 from United States

Alison’s enthusiasm is infectious! I want to get started right now!

Love!!!

by Beastajt from United States

I have been a huge fan of Alison for years now! So excited she has launched a podcast!

Thank You Alison!

by Savjack28 from United States

So glad Alison is now doing a podcast. Very inspiring!

Because I can! Love,Love, Love!

by Mysterious____ from United States

This podcast is really great! Alison is such an inspiration!

So inspiring!

by Heather of come home from United States

Thank you Alison! You always know just what to say to help me get out of my way. I’m for sure going to start recognizing those fake negative thoughts and turn them around. ❤️

Finally!!

by shellcoates from United States

It’s about time Alison made a podcast!! I’ve been waiting! She is a professional business mastermind, yet so relatable as a mother and woman. Go Alison!!!

The Because I can Life Podcast

by My Beautiful Child And Me from United States

Alison is the real deal. She doesn’t just preach and leave us on our own. Alison works her online business right along with us and teaches from her own experiences. She shares the highs and lows and gives us the tools we need to succeed. She is kind and welcoming and supports us even when we feel we are failing. The community she has created for us to find like minded people who want to make a difference is the best group I have ever been a part of. I love that she is always up dating her course that we have life long access. The fact that she takes the time to do FB lives a few times a week where she is open to all our questions is remarkable. I am grateful I found her. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting out or a seasoned business owner, Alison offer something for all of us. Connie Leonard

Real and Inspiring

by lastev from United States

Alison delivers relevant content that works. Most importantly, she is your biggest cheerleader and keeps you motivated to work hard and kick fear!

An inspirational podcast

by Dude202 from United States

I love listening to podcasts to inspire myself in my business growth. An enjoyable and helpful podcast!

BEST COACH EVER!!!

by Oak&Willow from United States

If you are looking to start your own e-commerce business, you will be hard pressed to find a more honest, passionate, caring person than Alison. She puts it all out there for you to see how to be successful. This podcast is going to change lives!

All Entrepreneurs Must Hear This

by seesnow99 from United States

I’ve been following Alison for a while now. I bought into her 0-100K system. My store is up & running thanks to her & a lot of hard work.
If you want to have an e-commerce business & have the best support team ever, look no further. I’ve done tons of webinars & online research. Nothing compares to what I have learned from Alison. Her online Facebook group is nothing short of phenomenal. You can post your struggle & ask for help. Five hours later, you come back to loads of encouraging posts from fellow “clanners” who have been there & they’re offering helpful advice.
I have been in her course since May 2018 & have watched her course get better & better. That’s because she’s constantly adding to it.
The best part about all of this is that Alison is genuine. She really wants to see her students succeed. This podcast is just another way to encourage us & all of you at the same time. I’ve met her in person more than once & her sincerity is more than evident.
Sit back & enjoy the podcast! Better yet, take that jump & come join us in the Because I Can Clan!

Yes I can!!

by A. Nieto from United States

Yes!! Loving the podcast! Real and raw reminding us all that we all start somewhere and we can each be successful.

So. Much. Info.

by An Interpreter from United States

I've learned so much about being an entrepreneur from Alison. Her teachings have changed my thinking, my shopping, and my future. I'm so happy she now has a podcast!!

Yessssss!

by ryanhelms from United States

Thank you Allison for sharing all your knowledge with us!

Amazing!

by sarakappas from United States

Alison is always so fun to listen to and as usual, is giving us amazing content that can really change your life!

So true and authentic!

by Daxy111 from United States

Alison is seriously the best and most talented business mom I've learned from! You rock!!

Perfect Morning Pick Me Up!

by Arichards130 from United States

This podcast is the perfect morning pick me up to kick my behind in gear and get motivated to live my best life everyday!
I’m still in the beginning stages of my journey, but I’ve seen, heard and felt the real life stories of Alison’s students who continually inspire, support and encourage me to keep walking my walk and doing the work to realize my goals!
Like Alison said, usually the best place to start is the beginning, so just jump in!

Lucky us!

by Wild Azalea from United States

Alison’s passion for helping others comes through loud and clear. I have already learned so much from her and look forward to future podcasts.

So motivating!

by LexHemming from United States

I’m loving this podcast. I feel like I CAN do whatever I put my mind to. It’s so nice to have such a positive, motivational, sincere example of what you can do when you trust yourself and step out of your comfort zone. Can’t wait for more episodes.

INCREDIBLE!!

by Dragonmaster191 from United States

Seriously Alison is just INCREDIBLE!!! She is such a huge inspiration! She is so honest and real and you know she honestly truly cares about helping others succeed!!! I know she loves celebrating us when we learn from her and take steps to change our lives for the better....Because I Can!!!!! Thank you!!!!!

My new favorite podcast!

by JBest4 from United States

I’m loving Alison’s podcast! She has been so successful in her businesses and to have the privilege to learn from her is incredibly valuable. I could listen to her all day because she is so genuine and relatable. Her passion for helping others really shines through too.

Awesome content!!!!!

by dtorell from United States

She is so inspiring and has made the mistakes so we don’t have to. Thanks for your drive to help others help others

Amazing

by Sarah Because I Can from Canada

I was never one to listen to podcasts. But now I am hooked! Alison is brilliant I am learning and continue to learn from her. She knows the e-commerce business inside and out implement what she teaches it’s amazing! I am definitely enjoying the journey of the Because I Can Life.

Like Rachel Hollis...but better

by Erin_Verb7 from United States

Alison is inspiring and makes you believe in yourself, but she doesn’t stop with the warm fuzzies. She takes you by the hand and shows you how to turn your money making dream into reality with action steps designed to help you create your own success, not just dream about it.

Your Millionaire Best Friend

by VinaHowell from United States

Alison’s podcast feels like an invigorating conversation with a best friend. If you’re interested in a life of “more”, learning marketing and e-commerce, and hearing someone whose persistence and authenticity is unmatched, this is the podcast for you.

Awesome sauce!

by Coolcv1998 from United States

Alison you are in your element!! You are so easy to listen to. This is as real as it gets. Can’t wait for more episodes. Add this to your list for sure everyone!! Just awesome!

Inspiring!!

by Olga Bella from United States

Alison just makes me want to jump up and cheer. She is so inspiring!

✨SO much goodness!

by Briestarr from United States

Alison shares so much goodness in this podcast! If you want tangible tips to take your biz to the next level and get inspired at the the same time, listen in!

So good!

by Trendytikes from United States

I love that she’s not only shelling out entrepreneur inspiration, she’s giving out real step by step advise for moving forward with business goals!!

So motivational! Love it!

by elizathere321 from United States

Love all the free advice Alison!

Awesome Alison!

by Chelli C from United States

I’m such a fan of Alison. Her podcast didn’t disappoint!

Rockstar!

by Christine Michelle James from United States

Looking forward to this! She rocks whatever she touches!

YESSS!! About time!!!

by LINDS100k from United States

Love Alison J. Prince! Can’t wait to learn more from her in this amazing podcast!!

Ready to learn!

by tjshrews from United States

Ready to soak up more info from this lady and her amazing family. Gives great practical tips for
growing an online business! And...I just love that her whole family is involved!

The best Cheerleader!

by KimHenrie from United States

When you are feeling like a failure, you need Alison to cheer you on and to keep you going. She’s always reminding you that you were made for more.

From a Dads POV

by StartupDadHQ.com from United States

So happy Alison has launched this podcast. So refreshing to find parent entrepreneurs who are crushing it in business but at the same time being REAL, TRANSPARENT, and VULNERABLE about what it's really like to build a business with a family (without sacrificing the family)!
So many families out there are struggling working 9-5 or more and still unable to provide for their families. Alison's journey is a tremendous inpiration that it doesn't have to be like that and as a Entrepeneur myself I'm looking forward to some solid advice and tips through this podcast.
Thank you Alison!!

Left me wanting more!!!

by kristin.sparks from United States

Alison I love your passion for helping others succeed, it comes through loud and clear. Can’t wait for the next one.

Exciting

by Queen Bee of three from United States

I’m excited to see how this podcast evolves! We all need a pep talk now and then but I can’t wait until Alison digs in to some more juicy details for those of us already working the program. And I would love to hear interviews with successful fellow clambers. Thanks again!

Get Into This Community!

by MindYourMomentum from United States

You will never find a more supportive community anywhere else online than in Alison’s Because I Can Clan. Beginner? Everyone’s cheering for you to succeed. Intermediate? Everyone’s cheering for your continued success. Advanced? Everyone’s still lifting you higher. No matter your level, you’ll learn something new every week, if not every day. So excited to now have a podcast to listen to on my daily walks! #becauseican #becauseicanclan

Most Caring Coach❣️

by 23569 from United States

Alison is the best inspiring coach to help people start their own online businesses. If you have a dream to do this, know that Alison can help, inspire, encourage, and nicely kick you in the butt if that’s what you need! You can do it with her help and with the help of her team, which includes her husband Jared and her children who themselves made $100k in less than a year. Legit legit legit! You can live the Because I Can life!

Life changing!

by rubyandedie from United States

Alison knows her stuff when it comes to e-commerce. If you have ever wanted to start your own business she is the lady to follow!! Not only that but she helps you build confidence and belief in yourself!! Seriously listen to what she says!

So Grateful!

by Brosky1213 from United States

Alison is such an inspiration!

Love Alison’s authenticity

by Sawshee from United States

Alison has a great way of sharing her passions as if she is already your best friend. She’s is truly authentic and wants to bring value to as many lives as she can. I’m loving this already! Keep them coming!!!

Beca Miller

by Beca Miller from United States

“Because I am not going to settle!” Alison is full of gold! I strongly recommend listening to her podcasts and learn how you don’t have to settle and can reach your dreams.

Just WOW!

by Walter Gro from United States

Alison is so inspiring and informative!
We were so moved by her story of creating her business and changing her families future that we’ve got our kids listening too!
Love it

Love love love!

by mlci from United States

Wherever you are in your entrepreneurial journey Alison has the message you need. ❤️

Not alone

by melnemlove from United States

Having your own business can feel like you are all alone. Alison and her program make me feel like I have a personal coach and cheerleader. Can’t wait to see how far I can go...because I can!!!

Alison is the expert

by Mm1982us from United States

Alison isn’t just the expert, she is a mom entrepreneur and knows real life experiences and feelings and helps you overcome yourself and get out there! Excited you finally have a podcast!

Best ever

by nyecreate from United States

This is will help anyone no matter where they are in trying to run their life and business.

A podcast full of awesomeness

by JLO52006 from United States

This podcast talks about the real life of a success entrepreneur, Alison Prince, and other like it. She tells you how to run a business and have a life too. She’s down to earth, tell it like it is presence, is exactly what people want to hear. She’s honest, open and funny. Take a listen, and you won’t regret it.

Speaks from the heart

by Lisa Dinsmore from United States

Alison has a great knowledge of business and shares that with us. She truly cares and wants other to succeed just like she has. I’m so excited to continue learning from her as she shares her knowledge.

I’m learning new things

by Trippy6911 from United States

My garage is full of stuff that I can sell, I had no idea where to start. My cousin recommended I listen to Alison and truth be told I’m beginning to have an idea on how to get my business going. I truly recommend listen to her or even watching her YouTube videos.

Authenticity

by Samantha Richardson from United States

She’s the real deal and no Bs, her passion to help others shows in everything she does. I love following/listening/ watching Alison because shes knowledgeable and is taking you through her experience! I’m soooooo excited for a podcast! Can’t wait to hear what more I can learn from this woman!

Thank you, Alison!

by stacyj:) from United States

Thank you for your words today! Very inspiring to me! Can’t wait for the next!

The best!!

by Lacegan from United States

Alison knows her stuff in the e-commerce world and is so great at showing others the path to success too!

This is the best person & podcast to learn E-Commerce

by Viciousinc from Canada

Alison is hands down one of the best people on the planet to learn e-commerce from. Not only has she successfully gone through the process and failed forward along the way, she also shares everything and does it with such genuine grace and humility. It’s hard to find people that walk the walk and do it in a way that lifts up the people around them. This is that person. Listen and more importantly apply everything she says. Thank you Alison!!

Life Changing

by N Family from United States

Alison is an expert in her field. If you want to change your financial future this is the podcast for you!

Real Deal

by Mashie422 from United States

She is so authentic and her messages are heartfelt and real. So glad to finally have a podcast from Alison!!

Got my wheels spinning

by iRunOnEmpty from United States

Alison has a way of getting you to not only think about your goals and your dreams, but Act on your goals and your Dreams. I’m ready for that Because I Can Life!

Alison Prince WALKS THE WALK Like No Other Person I Know

by Supreme Dragon Slayer 69 from United States

Full Disclosure.
I met Alison and her amazing family just a few years ago and in that time I have witnessed an incredibly humble person step into even more of her greatness.
This is someone who chases Impact over Significance in everything she does.
In a world where most “big marketing gurus” who just yell louder to be heard and rely mostly on manufacturing celebrity to become a house hold name... Alison has been actually walking the walk for decades.
She is family focused.
She is heart centered.
But make no mistake.
She is one of the most BRILLIANT Marketers and Business Builders in the world.
She had proven herself time and time again on her multiple businesses in multiple niches.
All.
From.
The.
Ground.
Up.
So yes. I know her.
Which makes me qualified to write this review bc if you do have an opportunity to ever meet her in real life, feel good knowing she is the same in real life as she is on this podcast.
Dave

The real deal

by Utah PT from United States

If you really want to know what it takes to change your life then you better listen. Alison knows what it takes to start and grow your new online business and love your entrepreneur life.

So happy Alison finally is releasing a podcast!

by Arushi-315 from United States

So ready to listen to all these episodes.

Transcript…

00:00 Is it easy to start an online store? Honestly, I try never to use the word easy in business-building and if I do, let me know. Building something that you are proud of takes time and effort, especially at first, right? It follows the easy, hard role so what that is is if it is easy now, it's going to be hard in the future and if it's hard now, it's going to be easy in the future.

00:30 Hey, Hey, you are listening to the Because I Can Life podcast, where we believe we can decide our own income, choose happiness, kick fear in the teeth and never ever stop. Why? Because we can. I'm your host, Alison J. Prince and I went from being a junior high science teacher to building four online multi-million dollar businesses, with four kids, at my feet. Each week, I'm bringing you real conversations that have led me as well as other experts to step into our dream online business lifestyle so that you can get the answers you need to craft your Because I Can life as well. Take that first step and commit now to your Because I Can life by downloading your free personal bundle at alisonjprince.com/bundle.

01:16 Hey, welcome to today's podcast. Yes, some of you may know that I live in Puerto Rico right now and we've been here almost eight months and kind of feels like a forever adjusting to new place to live, especially one 1300 miles away. Takes some settling in and I've heard it can take a year for it to really feel like home. I'm getting closer, but honestly, it was such a drastic change from good old Kanesville Utah that I'm trying to give myself a little bit longer to get settled. And so here's the one thing I absolutely love about Puerto Rico. I'm sitting here in the middle of winter recording this, looking out the window and it feels like July. I live in the summer year-round. During the bitter cold months of Utah. It's been replaced with the heat of the summer 365 days. But you want to know the reality? Our power went out again today and the water was turned off early this morning before even got to brush our teeth.

02:19 And I'll tell you what, I'm really grateful for gum and Coke at this point in my life. Now you may hear it, trucks in the street right now, and that's because a bunch of workers are trying to figure out what's going on with the water that's actually coming out of the ground right now. So we'll just call that a little bit of background white noise if you're okay with that. And I haven't been able to get through a Netflix show yet without having to reset the wifi. Sometimes yes, I'll tether it to my phone. But I guess I just want to point out that no matter where you're at in life, whether it's your physical location, where you're at in your business building, you can always find the good and you can always find the bad right wherever you go. And when we can focus on the good, the gum, the Coke, the warm weather, whatever it is, it kind of makes all those other things not seem so crazy.

03:20 Now I do understand we need water and the neighbors have it. It was just a couple of houses and ours happened to just be one of them. So we'll get the water back on. If not, maybe I'll just go jump in the ocean. That should solve the problem. Right. Okay. So let me dive into today's topic in no, you've tried to sell something and you ended up breaking even or even losing a little bit of money and maybe it was, you tried a local craft show in your area. Maybe you had a few sells, but you did the math and realize that you're pretty much volunteering because you just broke even and you felt a little bit deflated or come on, you were down. Right? Frustrated, right. This is an all too real feeling. And I bring this up because I got a message from one of my students and she said, Alison, I just did my first craft show and I broke even.

04:18 And I am so mad. I bought all the wrong stuff. My customers came into my booth, told me they wanted hoodies. I had T-shirts, they told me they wanted long sleeves. I had short sleeves. The only thing I got were emails. It was a mess. I'm frustrated and I only broke even so it was a total loss. I listened to her as she explained all the work that went into doing a booth. You have to set up the booth and you have to haul in your products. You have to hold the products back out. And she was doing this with her small kids helping now I, if you could see me now, I would be putting my hands up the air with quotations of helping. If you've ever had toddlers help you, you know that helping should totally be in quotes. She went on to tell me that she was sweating in all the places to put this thing together before opening day.

05:09 And I know my heart should have been breaking for her, but honestly, I was excited for her. And when she was done telling you the story, I replied, congratulations. And then it went dead quiet. And I'm pretty sure that wasn't the reaction that she was expecting. I continued to tell her that she's got the best education ever and she didn't have to go into debt over it. Imagine if she went to college to learn what she learned from that event. It would have taken her over a year or more of study. She would have been thousands and thousands of dollars in debt because college debt, Israel and having my friend and she had none from learning what she did. So I want to look at positives of what she did learn. She learned that being in a craft show is physically hard and triple hard with toddlers helping. And then the second thing, she found out firsthand what her customers wanted from her.

06:10 And then the third thing is that she collected emails, Kate. So those are some of the positive things that happened that she learned. Now I want to show you the results of the learning that can happen from this. So number one, she found out that hauling tables, chairs, display racks, products, bag signs, it's hard stinken work and she wants to stick with online because it fits her lifestyle more with these tiny kids at her feet. Number two, she doesn't have to guess what her customers want to buy. They told her exactly what they wanted to buy. I know, right? Can you imagine customers coming up to you and say, I want a long sleeve hoodie. I want it in this color. I want this. Like you would save so much money and trying to buy samples, testing things out. So that information right there is worth its weight in gold.

07:05 Number three, she found that booth rentals are a lot of money and an online booth is around 30 bucks a month. The online booth is also known as a shopping platform and I like to Shopify as my online booth. And then number four, she now has an email list of future customers to sell them the items from. Number two, these people she's been in contact with, these are the ones that told her exactly what they wanted to buy so she can email them and say, remember that long sleeve shirt that you wanted? Boom, I've got it. So all the congratulations were about what she had learned this week and all the education was for free. Now I say free because she broke even. She did not walk away with any student loan debt, nothing. And she just had the most amazing learning opportunity in business right then and right there.

08:02 Now the gal replied with so much gratitude for the realization of what she had done and she said, Alison, now I am ready and I am fired up to get this stuff online and think sells at my own online booth. So when you feel like you just broke even or even lost some money, look at the good look to see what you did, do what you did, learn and then compare it to a college education. And it may make you feel a heck of a lot better. What you are learning right now is valuable. It's sculpting you into building your dream online lifestyle business so you can afford to live your dreams. So maybe you've done booths in the past and you're totally writing to this gal's pain. I do. I remember my booth days. Oh, the hours of standing and then when your booth is completely empty and the booth next to you is totally popping.

09:05 You don't even make eye contact with anybody because you are so like, at least with me, I was so embarrassed that I just wanted to become invisible and I just kept thinking if I don't make eye contact that I'm completely invisible. Right. Running a booth is hard work. Now if yours is the booth that's pop-in, keep it going. I'm not trying to discourage you at all. I'm talking to those who either want to stop the business of setting up booths or are ready to get an online booth that they can keep popping all year long and make cells even when the pop-up show or the craft show is not happening. Now, this leads me to the cost of getting an online shop up and going. Now, if you are one of those who does booths, you know the expenses, right? And maybe you're wondering what the cost of an online store is to see if it's even worth it for you.

10:06 You probably want to know the hidden costs, the unexpected things that might throw you off, right? So one of the major reasons why I did this podcast is because I got an email from an old friend. She wanted to start an online boutique. And without going into a lot of details, her family has been facing some crazy, crazy financial constraints due to medical bills. A, if it's as easy as I make it sound, and B, is it expensive? And for some reason her email hit me upside the head that I needed to turn this into a podcast episode and help others because I get asked this question probably five to 10 times a week because wanting to know the cost of setting up an online store is such a great, valid question. So if you are here, because this is your Tuesday podcast, listening to Alison habit or if you are here because someone directed you here, welcome.

11:06 I'm glad you're here to find out the cost of what it's going to take to run your online business. But first thing, let me answer that first part of your question. Is it easy to start an online store? Honestly, I try never to use the word easy and business building and if I do, let me know. Building something that you are proud of takes time and effort, especially at first, right? It follows the easy, hard role so that what that is is if it is easy now, it's going to be hard in the future. And if it's hard now, it's going to be easy in the future. Okay, let's take that scenario and I'm going to actually put it into a chiro at Disneyland. Okay, so follow along with me. Let's see. You go to Disneyland and you just spent all your money on the tickets to get there and everything and the smell of the churros start making you salivate and you want one so bad, but you don't have any money.

11:58 So what's the easy thing to do? You whip out a credit card, right? You pay for that chiro, you inhale it, it's amazing. But then you get home and you forget to pay the credit card bill, and then the second month and then the third month, and then by the time you actually get around to paying for that chiro, you've paid for it two to three times, right? You could have had two to three churros, but you went with the easy way and you're paying for it later on. Now let's talk about oxidant. Let's say you're salivating. You smell that chiro. What's the hardest thing ever to do? It's still walking away from that sugary goodness, right? But you do. You walk away and it is so hard and you go home, you save your money for the next time you're at Disneyland. When you get to Disneyland, you have enough saved.

12:50 Not just buy one, but to buy the whole cart worth. You didn't have to pay any interest on it. You just get that pure sugary finger bliss, right? Business building is the same. Was it easy when I started? No. Was it easier later when I learned the process, got over the learning curve, figure out that the overwhelm that I was feeling was actually from Satan himself and when I learned how to say, Kay, I feel overwhelmed? I'm going to take that out of my head and put on the shelf so I can move forward. It got less hard. Doing hard things isn't a bad thing. Think about child-rearing is the hardest thing in the world, right? You worry, you stress, you stay up late. You have bloodshot eyes from staying up with them all night as babies or waiting for them when they're teenagers to come home from off their dates.

13:43 But you do it because of the sweet moments that you have with your kids. The moments that you watch them when they're sleeping, and then they start to giggle in their sleep while they have Drupal running out the side of their cheek, right? Or the random hug or kiss that your teenage daughter comes up and gives you because they can just sense that you're having a hard day. All the hard was so worth it. Right? But to give it some perspective, I do think a business is a bajillion times easier than raring children. Now I know someone's gonna email me and say, Alison, you said easy in business in the same sentence. I know I already broke the rule from earlier, but I was just using this as an example to give you some perspective. Okay, now let's tackle the second part. How much does it cost to start an online eCommerce store?

14:36 Well, I suppose if you're going to launch a competitor to Amazon, it's going to cost you a lot, right? Or if you want to start a different version of Nordstrom's will think you're going to have to have some deep pockets. But if you are aware was a stay at home mom who needed some extras income support her family can. You can get started by using basically dryer change, some garage sale proceeds and some a little imagination. So let's talk about what you need to pay for and what you don't. All right, so number one, you probably already have this if you are running a booth already, you probably already have your business license, right? And if you don't, you got to get one no matter what industry, what business you're doing, get a business license. So this one, I don't actually count as an online specific business expense because it's an every buddy business expense.

15:36 Now we've always chosen to set our companies up as LLCs rather than sole proprietors. And I don't want to go into detail about it, but start Googling that. Find out what's right for you. Sole proprietors are usually free, but they have some major drawbacks. And I urge you not to skip this step, and I've heard some people complain about the cost of getting their business license, but do you know what costs more not starting. It's called the cost of lost opportunity. If I thought my business licensing was too expensive when I got started, I would have missed out on millions of dollars, literally. And if you've lived in other parts of the world, you can't even start your own business. It's not allowed. So go to your garage, go to your basement, find something that you're not using anymore, that's collecting dust. Sell it on eBay, sell it on Craigslist, and make some money to pay for your business license.

16:39 All right, let's dive into number two. You need something to sell. Yes. If you're going to make money selling products, then you've got to have a product offer, right? But before you go, Oh crazy stocking up inventory, I want you to look at what you already have laying around your house. Maybe you're sitting on a gold mine of blocks of wood. If you know my story, I sold blocks of wood and sold over $9,000 in 24 hours. Crazy. Right? I know. It's so crazy. I just got a message on Facebook that said, this lady didn't believe me. I don't think I would have believed it either. Had it not happened to me and had I not seen some of my other students making this happen to now you can use places like Facebook or local sales groups to sell the stuff around your house to get some cash rolling.

17:32 Now, this is not a longterm strategy. It's a place to raise some money to take you to the next steps, and when you learn how to create money with no money, then imagine how you're going to be able to create money when you have money, you are learning to build a strong basis way. Have you ever heard Jeff Bezos's story? Yeah. The guy who built Amazon, he was living in his mom's basement and I feel like his mom was the one who bought his very first product, right? He learned how to make money without having any money and by doing it this way gives you the strength to know what and the devil to do with it when you have it to grow it even more, and why do I want you to have money? Because you're going to do good things with it. I kind of feel like it's our obligations as people with the opportunity to make money, to make money so that we can have it to improve our lives and to help serve other people.

18:39 So I'm so excited for you to be able to make some money. Cake. Now we're going to dive in to step number three. All right? You've got your business set up and then you've sold some stuff to be able to get some cash. Now you can take that cash and invest it into some inventory to be able to sell to your customers, but I want to stress this very hard. Do not do not, do not, do not buy a ton of inventory. You need to test your products. You can find inexpensive products to test out there for as little as 50 to a hundred dollars you buy in small quantity, you sell it, you use the profits to reinvest in more products and then repeat it again and again and again and honestly, that was my secret to hitting my 100 sell my million, sell my 40 million sale.

19:33 You get the picture, right? Repeat or me repeat. My girls, when they started, they put in about $200 and they eventually got to their six figures. No, sure. If you have money to get going, then you could've skipped number two but with number three, the part that I stress about don't buy a ton of inventory. You don't need to. I want you to make sure that you are testing your products, that it is a viable product and then reinvesting the profits. All right, item at number four. You need a place to sell your products, AKA your online store. Now that you've got your products in hand to sell, I'm going to cut to the chase. You need to get yourself an online booth or a store, right, to collect money for you 24 hours a day. Yes. This is the beauty of online stores. Like you can sleep well, others are shopping at your site.

20:29 You don't have to be there and I use Shopify as my online store to display and sell my products and if you're ready to get started in your online store, this is where I recommend you start. I have tried a lot of eCommerce platforms out there and is the one that I recommend. When I first got started, I had a friend build a custom site for me. Seriously, don't do that. Shopify is about $30 a month. Yes, $30 over the years I spent in way a lot more money on that platform. If I had to do it again and if Shopify could like, I didn't even know Shopify existed when I first got started, I would have gone to Shopify. Just start on Shopify. It's going to save you so much stress and frustration as you start and then it allows you to scale as you grow.

21:24 It has templates so that you can plug it in. I'm still using the free template and I love it. And if you're like, Alison, I don't have 30 bucks a month. [inaudible] really like look at the money that you do spend monthly. Are you going out to eat? Could you skip that? Or are you buying sugary drinks with the cookies at the local fish shop or whatever it is. Could you skip that a couple of times a month? You have the money. You just need to be allocating it to the right spot to the right thing that's actually going to help generate money for you, right? Spending money just to spend is one thing, but when you spend money to invest in something that can bring you cashback, adds a whole new ballgame. And that is the game that I love to play in. All right, so you've got your business license, you've got some cash, you've bought some inventory, and now you've got your store set up and you are making sales.

22:24 So the next thing that you're going to need to do is you're going to need the stuff to ship out the products, right? Like packing envelopes and tissue paper and plastic baggies, all the things that you need to get your product into your customer's hands. Well, there's this little store, maybe you've heard of it. It's called Amazon and Amazon as two-day mail, right? Unless you live in Puerto Rico, then it's like a week. And then if you live in Puerto Rico, I actually don't recommend you ship your own products. Have someone else ship it for you. And anyway, once you get your order in, then you can order in your shipping products. You already have made money. Now you have the money to be able to buy your shipping products, right? Don't go gangbusters and stock up on a whole bunch of shipping products when you haven't even started yet.

23:14 It's a two-day ship. It can get to you when you need it. And cost-wise, I'm talking as little as 10 to $20 after you get your first sales in the door. Number six. All right, so I hear ya. You want some pretty branding on your packages. I totally get it. When I first started, Oh man, I went to like remember no money, right? I went to the local stamp store, bought a $15 stamp, bought some tags from U line and hand-stamped every single tag. It took forever but I had to give time because I didn't have the money. Now I know that sounds like a total pain in the tush and eventually, I started driving my mom to do it and it turned out really well. But guess what? There's a place called VistaPrints.com.

24:10 They are always running promotions and one of the promotions that they run usually is 500 free business cards. Use that business card as your branding. It can have your logo on the front of it, way for people to contact you and then on the back, this is what is so magical. You can actually do a coupon code and say, thanks so much for your purchase. Here's 40% off, 50% off your next order. So that little free card is going to help you to generate more revenue in the future. Now how do I know this works is because we did it with my pillows business and a generated in one year an extra $24,000 not $24 $24,000 to the bottom line for it to go in our pockets just by that one little trick. So make sure that you are adding in to your branding some type of a kickback coupon to get people shopping.

25:10 Now I'm gonna put a little asterisk right here. If you are selling on other people's sites, like let's say you're selling on a deal site or Amazon, make sure you know their rules because I know Amazon will shut your whole account down if they see you doing that. And I know some deal sites will blacklist you, so just make sure you know the rules. But if you are building your own store, this is your own sandbox. You can make your rules, you don't have to follow the rules, you get to make your own. And you know what? I love that. Always build on your platform and then you can go play in other people's sandboxes, but you will still have this strong solid foundation. All right? And then the last thing that you're going to need to pay for is the labels that you have to print off and slap on your packages to get to your customers.

25:59 Now, in the beginning, I hand wrote addresses. It was kind of a pain and the tush, I think I only did it like one or two and I said, I'm done with this. And I ended up using my little home printer, which yes, it cost a lot in ink, but I did that until I could buy something called a thermal printer, which is about a hundred to 300 whether you get it used or new on Amazon or eBay, wherever you get it, and the thermal printer prints with heat. So you actually don't have to pay for ink, which is pretty darn cool. Right? Okay. So let's review business license number one second, sell your stuff that's collecting dust in your basement, in your garage. I don't know, maybe in the corner of your room and sell it on Craigslist, eBay. Just get cash for the stuff that you already have laying around your location.

26:48 Number three, take that cash and buy some inventory to sell to your products and remember by small you need to test it out. Number four, get your online booth or shop. I use Shopify and recommend Shopify to get started. Number five are your shipping products and you can do that after your customers place an order because we have this really convenient store called Amazon. Number six, you can add branding Vista prints, you can get usually now the time you're listening to this, they might have some other promotion going on, but I've usually been able to find for your first 500 business cards for free and then numbers seven your shipping labels, DIY it, and then eventually start buying a thermal printer. Now as you grow your company, or maybe as even when you start, you're like, don't wants to deal with shipping. Oh no. Well, good news is there's a happy medium between shipping products yourself and there's something called drop shipping.

27:52 And I do have a blog post about dropshipping or Alison prince.com that I, I really am not a big fan of dropshipping and you can read the article and you can find out why I actually like not doing it myself, but having someone else do it for me. And if you'll listen to episode nine I give you some really good ideas on how you can get your products to your customers without actually having to ship out to them. This is what allows me to continue running my eCommerce businesses while I'm living here in Puerto Rico. They do everything for me, including adding in my special branding items. Guess there's a cost, but it's one that you can build into your pricing. So how much does it start to cost an online store? Well, you can go into debt, spending thousands of dollars in inventory, having custom-built eCommerce websites, hire a team to handle all your customer service and all your shipping and all that stuff.

28:45 Or you can grow your business one profitable sale at a time. Reinvesting those products to buy more inventory to expand your business. Does it take longer? Yeah, but it works. So if you are stressed out about the money, guess what? There are ways that you can make this work. If you have money to go into it, great. You're just going to be able to grow faster. You've either got time or you've either got money and those are the two things that can help you grow your business faster. If you don't have money, you're going to have to spend more time. If you don't have time, they're going to have to spend more money. Isn't this so fun? I know I'm a total geek about this and I love that you are here kicking out with me about it too. Now, if you want to take the next steps into growing your online business, find out how my girls started their first eCommerce business that got them to their first six figures over at 0-100k.com, where I teach you the three secrets that I taught them because that's what I use to grow my businesses online. Remember, it's your job, your responsibility to go make money, and I am so excited to show you you can do this so that you can afford to live your dreams. All right, I'll talk to you next week.

30:12 Hey, thank you so much for listening to the Because I Can Podcast. Do you have a question that you'd like me to answer raw and uncut on the podcast? All you need to do is head over to Apple Podcast and do three simple things. Number one, leave a rating and review and tell me what you think of the podcast. Number two, in that review us anything you want related to your lifestyle business, and number three, if you want to shout out, make sure to leave your Instagram handle or your name, that's all. Then just listen to hear your question answered. Live, raw, and uncut. Don't forget to join us next time on the Because I Can Podcast. We'll see you then.

HI, I’M ALISON

I’m an expert at online business building. It all started with selling products that were headed to the trash and now 4 multi-million dollar business later… It is now my mission to show you how to build your dream life. Why? Because YOU CAN!

Debbie

You will never learn more, you will never grow more and you will never enjoy more this course and community that Alison Prince has created. Alison is the real deal and the things that she shares is incredible! Do you want to be your own boss? Do you want financial freedom? Then follow Alison and get her course!! Best decision ever.

Debbie

Alison J Prince

5

2016-05-03T18:05:39-06:00

Debbie

You will never learn more, you will never grow more and you will never enjoy more this course and community that Alison Prince has created. Alison is the real deal and the things that she shares is incredible! Do you want to be your own boss? Do you want financial freedom? Then follow Alison and get her course!! Best decision ever.

https://www.alisonjprince.com/testimonials/michelle/

Julie

Alison's commitment to her course and students is phenomenal. She offers an unrivaled level of support, with weekly trainings, course updates, expert guests and more. She's also created an online group unlike any other I've ever been a part of. Course participants help one another, encourage each other, and share information--and of course, Alison is right in there as well. Highly recommend this course for anyone who is looking to build a sustainable e-commerce business the right way. Definitely 5 stars!

Julie

Alison J Prince

5

2016-05-03T18:07:52-06:00

Julie

Alison's commitment to her course and students is phenomenal. She offers an unrivaled level of support, with weekly trainings, course updates, expert guests and more. She's also created an online group unlike any other I've ever been a part of. Course participants help one another, encourage each other, and share information--and of course, Alison is right in there as well. Highly recommend this course for anyone who is looking to build a sustainable e-commerce business the right way. Definitely 5 stars!

https://www.alisonjprince.com/testimonials/catherine/

Shelly

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! I have been dabbling in trying to get an online store up and running for over a year, gave up, and then seen Alison's story! There was just something about her that drew me in and am I ever THANKFUL!! I joined the Clan just a couple of months ago. I have learned more in those two months than I think I EVER would have without this! I am already selling on my own site and pushing forward daily!! So excited to see what the future holds!!

Shelly

Alison J Prince

5

2016-05-03T18:24:44-06:00

Shelly

WOW, WOW, WOW!!! I have been dabbling in trying to get an online store up and running for over a year, gave up, and then seen Alison's story! There was just something about her that drew me in and am I ever THANKFUL!! I joined the Clan just a couple of months ago. I have learned more in those two months than I think I EVER would have without this! I am already selling on my own site and pushing forward daily!! So excited to see what the future holds!!